The storm ‘Yaas’ (pronounced as (Yass) over the east-central Bay of Bengal, which intensified into a ‘Severe Cyclonic Storm’ late on Monday night, gathered further strength to transform into a ‘Very Severe’-category phenomenon by Wednesday morning when it would make its landfall close to north of Dhamra in Bhadrak district and south of Baleswar during Wednesday noon.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening, the eye of the storm stretching to a radius of 35 km was visible through a radar system at Paradip. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, “The storm is very likely to move north-northwestwards, intensify further into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. It would continue to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach northwest Bay of Bengal near north Odisha and West Bengal coasts very close to Chandbali-Dhamra port by the early morning of Wednesday, the 26th May.
It is very likely to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar Island close to north of Dhamra and south of Baleswar during noon of Wednesday as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm.”
Wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting 70 kmph prevailed over north Bay of Bengal and along and off the Odisha-West Bengal coasts during Tuesday night. It would further increase becoming gale wind speed 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph over northwest Bay of Bengal and along and off the north Odisha and adjoining West Bengal coasts including Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada and Bhadrak from early Wednesday morning and would extend to Baleswar district from forenoon. Wind speed of 100-120 kmph gusting to 145 kmph would be experienced over Mayurbhanj district.
Gale wind speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph would prevail over Puri, Cuttack, Khordha and Jajpur districts during the same period. Squally wind speed reaching 60-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph would prevail over Ganjam, Dhenkanal and Keonjhar districts. Wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph would prevail over Angul, Deogarh and Sundargarh districts during the same period.